


Brick by Brick

by mitsuboo



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Comedy, Curses, F/M, Mistaken identities, actually its pretty much all the famous fairy tales mixed together, alternative universe, beauty and the beast mixed with rapunzel can i get a heck yeah, fairy tale AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:59:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10552022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitsuboo/pseuds/mitsuboo
Summary: "Princess, would you please let down your hair?"All Leo could make out was a head of pink hair, and a pale face, peeping down at him from the small window at the highest point in the tower. She put a hand against her mouth to let herself be heard as she yelled out, "I-I'm really sorry, but I just cut it... Well, I don't need saving anyway, thank you though, h-have a good day!"The key to saving his life and his humanity had just cut off his only entrance into the tower, so it was pretty obvious that he would not be having a good day like the princess requested. In fact, his day would be rather bad. As would the rest of his entire, short life be.Destiny had a sadistic streak, it seemed.





	1. Prince and the Priestess

**Author's Note:**

> \- This is a fairy tale au, the world uses normal names from the game, but it parodies the normal fairy tale cliches and tropes (fairies, trolls, princesses in danger and all that nonsense) 
> 
> \- Leo is 19, Sakura is 17
> 
> \- please comment, and tell me how you like it !!!!! I'm a little unconfident in this au, to be honest, and my writing for this chapter, so if you like it then please tell me !! 
> 
> \- This is a mixture of beauty and the beast, and rapunzel. You can probably guess who Camilla and Elise are parodying too, and the nonsense with Corrin will be revealed soon : 3

In a world of dragons, magic, fae, and adventure, every story worth listening to always seemed to begin with one sentence. _Once upon a time._

 

  How fitting, that this tale should also begin in that manner.

 

  Once upon a time, there was a prince, and a priestess. The prince was sarcastic and cold, the youngest of the male siblings, and a sheep as black as his armor. He had clear, intelligent eyes, a straight nose, and perfect posture. His hobbies included reading, casting spells, and chess. Occasionally, he would garden, but only when the harsh ground of his kingdom allowed it.

 

   Leo was his name, and he was bored out of his mind.

 

  The halls of his childhood castle were entirely too empty and barren for him to find any enjoyment in walking them. The maids and butlers, even, had their romances and laughs together. It seemed that even the horses were friendly with each other, finding love and adventure all while the 2nd prince of their own country grew restless enough to count all the bricks on the South tower of the castle.

 

  24,542, in case one would ever be wondering.

 

  Nobody wondered. Not his retainers, Niles and Odin, nor the maids, nor the horses in the stables. He would've informed his father, as it _was his_ castle, yet he wouldn't of truly cared either.  Niles raised a white eyebrow and grimaced upon being told this. Odin, who could usually find the adventure in the small things, had even stayed quiet upon hearing his Lord's boredom. Leo, truly, and honestly, was becoming a very dull person. Between brick counting, he filled his days with dusting off old books, and categorizing the library.

 

  It was upon a certain time in the world that all things happened, almost as if planned by destiny. Many a dreamy philosopher wondered if, perhaps, there was an entity penning out every move, and they were just characters in a book, awake and alive inside someone's mind only. They called this destiny, and it was destined when a purple haired woman fell prey to an apple, laying asleep in her glass coffin, waiting for a prince to save her. It was destiny that a blonde little girl began her 100 year sleep after pricking her finger, roses as pink as her lips growing up around her tower where her sleeping form waited. Destiny kept a white haired dragon-girl locked up in an ivy covered tower, looking out across the forest that surrounded her, and waiting for the day when she would be free. All would require princes, all would be considered 'in distress'. That was how destiny and fate worked, that was the way of this land, and nothing would change that.

 

   It was a shame that our princess, Sakura, a young maiden of the prettiest kind, was not a damsel in distress, destined for the charming, heroic knight or prince.

 

     For she was a princess no longer, but instead a _Priestess_.

 

     Once upon a time there was a pink haired priestess, too shy for her own good. She had kind eyes, and was quite little. She was the youngest of her family, and would spend her days healing the sick and poor from their common ailments. She seemed to be the exact opposite of her destined prince, though she did not know him at that time. She was shy, she was careful with her words, soft spoken, and would go out of her way to help those in need. In all, she was the sun, and he the moon. Nobody in all the lands of fae would've guessed that the two would find each other.

 

    Everybody besides two very important, very powerful people.

 

     Iago and Orochi.

 

     Though from opposing lands, it was Orochi who approached Leo, and Iago who approached Sakura. They did not work together, they did not know each other even, yet they were parallels in this spiderweb of fate that was ever spinning. For in this land of fantasy and fae, magic and wonder, adventure and conquest, there was always a story to be told.

 

     Leo's began with Orochi's tea leaves. Sakura's with Iago's poison tongue and cursed words.

 

     The prince of our story was alone in his big castle now, with only retainers and servants to keep him company. His father was growing old and more sinister by the day, and oftentimes did not care to have his son's company. His eldest sister, Camilla, had gone and gotten herself cursed by some poisoned apple. Leo thought this silly, as she didn't even enjoy apples. The youngest, Elise had angered some evil witch and gotten locked up in a tower, pricked herself on a spinning wheel, and fallen asleep. And crown prince Xander, on the other hand, had been questing for the last month. The eldest of the family preferred, really, to stay home and do paperwork, ruling his future kingdom.

 

      If only those fawning village girls knew how introverted the oldest prince truly was, they wouldn't be singing of him in taverns at night. If only the princes and noblemen that sought out the fairest Camilla knew that she d _eserved_ that poisoned apple, they wouldn't be trying to kiss her. If only the adventurers that fought their way through ivy and roses to get to Elise knew that she actually just wanted to take a really long nap to avoid having to go through tutoring and schooling, they wouldn't be enduring all those scrapes and cuts.

 

   Fairy tales, tavern tunes, whispers of legends and bold quests, they were all nonsense, and Leo wanted nothing to do with any of them. He would gladly endure boredom for the rest of his life if that meant not having any stupid tales written of him and his exploits. He did _not_ want his love life with some poor cursed princess to be jotted down and read for centuries from then on out. The author most likely wouldn't even write it down correctly, and he'd end up being a villain. Just like as a child, those games he would play in the courtyard, he always played the villain.

 

    "Keep it up, and at this rate you'll be a hermit," Niles shook his head, his hair falling into his eyes. He pulled back the string on his bow and lifted the weapon up to his cheek, "Not that that would be bad, my lord. In fact, you'd be so devoid of human contact that the first moment a woman touches you…" He pursed his lips and hummed, a low and deep sound that vibrated in his chest. To emphasize this, he finally let the string go and watched the arrow slice through the air, right onto the painted red target on the hay-bale, "How _sultry._ "

 

    Leo was not amused.

 

  His glare could slice through any obstacle, with how sharp it was, "How many times have I told you to stop talking like that?"

 

  Niles closed his one eye, and raised both eyebrows as he pulled himself out of his stance. He held up his free hand innocently, "I'm just saying, my lord, you're going to die of loneliness. Every prince needs to find a princess, it's the common law of the land."

 

  Leo _knew_ the common law of the land. He was a prince, he would have to go out and save a princess. He wasn't a female, so he couldn't become an evil witch, even though that would be a more preferable career path for him. Perhaps an evil wizard, though he'd be the first of his kind, and he would have to curse some poor lovers to an eternity of god knows what. In this world of fairies and tales, Leo felt like the black sheep.

 

   He was not galiant. He was not heroic. He did not come onto the scene wielding a sword of light, with the brightest, most charming smile one could ever imagine. He didn't have strong arms that could hold even the most terrified of princesses, and he had absolutely no desire to slay dragons in their names either. He simply was not cut out for the life of a fairy tale prince, and he would not force himself to be what he was not. Simple as that.

 

  Huffing at this thought, he lifted his bow and notched his arrow, squinting one eye closed as he focused on the red painted target ahead of him, "Well, I'm afraid if I ever do go out and save any princesses, they'll just be disappointed that it's _me_ instead of Xander."

 

  He let the arrow loose and watched it cut through the air smoothly, making a soft whizz noise as it did so. The haybale began to rustle and shake, with two hands taking a hold of it from behind and lifting it to catch the arrow right into the red painted circle in the middle. The feathered shaft of the arrow shook and vibrated as Odin popped up from behind the hay bale, "That's not how true love and destiny works, my lord!"

 

   "Were you…" he was flabberghasted, "behind that the entire time? I could've hit it without your help."

 

   "But you wouldn't have gotten into the red area!" Odin pointed down at the now still arrow, grinning, "Tis my duty as a slave, no a mere _worm_ in your service to make sure you are always gifted with the very best that lady destiny may offer with her outstretched palms."

 

   "I-I could've made it…"

 

   He had to ignore the doubtful glance Niles sent his way, before it was replaced with the charming, cat like grin that the dark skinned man always wore, "Oh sure, of course my lord. Now back to the talk of true love, the fool's right. That's not how it works. If you save her, she'll just be glad it was you, since destiny set it up and all."

 

  Leo felt like dropping his bow and abandoning it right then and there, yet his grip only tightened in irritation, "That's stupid, though, who says a princess even needs or _wants_ saving? Perhaps she can save herself, but chooses not to? Or perhaps I save one, and we just remain good friends, and she marries someone else? Things are not so black and white as this world may make it."

 

   It was in this moment that he was instantaneously bombarded with a calloused hand upon his cheek, resting there gently and squeezing ever tighter as Niles pursed his lips and cooed at him, "How cute. So cute, isn't our Leo cute?"

 

  Odin was moving closer now, his hand on Leo's _other_ cheek as he squinted, "He possess all the cuteness the universe has to offer!"

 

  "Such naivety!"

 

   "Such hope! How sweet tasting upon the tongue of it's hearer that this hope has not been crushed terribly yet! We should pray for better appreciation of this wonderful trait in our young lord."

 

  He could've had them both beheaded right then and there.

 

                                                                        ------------------

 

   It was 4pm, when Garon would usually take his mid day nap and rest his weary bones. Xander would usually be the one on the throne, overlooking the citizens and their complaints in Father's absence, but as he was currently off climbing a beanstalk or slaying a dragon, the duty had fallen to Leo.

 

   It always seemed like this was the busiest time of day, and he could only briefly wonder if that was why Father took his nap around this time of day. For whatever reason it was, Leo was left alone in the throneroom as he took on the crowds of citizens with their complaints. Each one seemed to grow more and more outrageous as the hours blurred together.

 

   "Someone tried to make my cow jump over the moon," One farmer complained darkly, "That's the 3rd time this week, mi'lord."

 

   Leo was confused, but only raised a cool eyebrow and shrugged, "I'll uh… get a guard sent out to your farm to try and catch the culprit."

 

   The farmer thanked him and bowed in appreciation, and a middle aged woman took his place right after, "Mi'lord, my daughters out there kissing frogs, hoping one of them is a prince, but she's getting warts all around her mouth."

 

   "I… I'm not quite sure what to do about that…"

 

   "Mi'lord, nobody wants to kiss a warty girl! She will never marry _anybody_ at this rate. U-Unless… His Highness enjoys warts…"

 

   Well, he surely wasn't the exception there. He, too, had no desire to kiss a worty girl. Sending a questioning side glance to Niles, he saw the older man shrug carelessly as if he was _considering_ kissing said girl. On his other side, Odin was trying hard to cover up his curious gaze. The prince merely sighed as he turned his attention to the woman, "Leave your address with a guard, and I'll get a healer sent to your home to take care of her warts."

 

    The woman bowed heartily, though her expression spoke of disappointment, "Thank you, mi'lord!"

 

    Softly, he waved a black gloved in goodbye. More citizens milled out at the large doorways of the throne room, just waiting for their chance to enter inside and complain at the youngest prince. Most were expecting the King, and left the minute Leo had taken the throne, but he didn't mind that, it simply meant less work for him. Yet, it was the next citizen that caused him to break out of the duldrum of this event.

 

     It was a woman, covered by a tattered tan hood and cloak, walking softly up to the throne. She could barely be heard, and was followed by a hush from both the guards and other villagers nearby. Whispers of 'it's her' reached Leo's ears, making him sit up straighter and take his hand off his cheek.

 

     She raised two delicate hands, and pushed the hood off her head, revealing violet hair and a pretty face. A woman, seeming to be of 25 to 30 years, with deep set, piercing eyes. A wry smile began to play at her rosy lips as she leaned over and bent her head down in reverence, "My prince."

 

    Niles shifted in suspicion at his side, while Odin's eyes widened. Leo merely kept his own gaze upon her, "I know you."

 

    She raised a groomed brow, "Oh?"

 

    "You're that fortune teller from Hoshido, the one that only tells bad fortunes."

 

    "Well," She pulled at her cloak a little as if trying to straighten it out, frowning now, "I don't tell _only_ bad fortunes, but I do tell them in the first place, yes. People don't really like it when their fortune teller only says the truth, you see."

 

     He nodded understandingly, though he had never gotten his fortune told, or ever truly been interested in it, "I see. What is it you need?"

 

   "You."

 

   Niles scoffed, "This woman thinks she can be so bold? My lord doesn't work that way, lady, he prefers soft romance and candlelight and-"

 

   "Niles, be quiet now."

 

   "Whatever you say, my Lord."

 

    The fortune teller merely smiled again, this time her lips upturning into a cat-like smirk as she did so, "Not in that way, trust me. No… I merely need to speak with you," She took a step forward now as her shoulders tensed up visibly, and she lowered her voice to a hiss, "I received a terrible fortune."

 

     He would not give in to the drama of her demeanor, "I thought you did that frequently."

 

    "No!" She shook her head, "This one was about you. You specifically, and some… princess. And a tower. And…"

 

    She was hesitating to finish the sentence, making only the anticipation rise like hot water. Leo was tense at her earlier words - a princess, a tower. That sounded exactly like the type of thing he was avoiding at all costs. He didn't want princesses, he certainly didn’t want towers, and he certainly did not want these all to be part of a fortune involving him. This brewed trouble, and he could feel it in every bone.

 

     Niles could too, apparently, with how he hissed, "Finish!"  
 

     "Your…. Your death, my lord."

 

     A death. _His_ death.

 

    The world seemed to stop spinning in that moment, and his chest grew heavy along with the silence that followed.

 

     "Go on." It was a command that rippled through the heavily hushed room. It felt a sin to speak right now, with the prophetess' words hanging in the air in the way they did. This woman with her visions of the future, she had never been wrong. It was why she was so hated.

 

     "You won't be yourself," her voice lowered to a hush, "You'll be something twisted, something grotesque. I apologize… There's not much I saw, besides that and… well, a tower. A pink haired girl."

 

     A pink haired girl. Whether she would be the undoing, or his savior, nothing seemed to discern. The prince kept a cool, calm demeanor on him, all while Odin looked panicked, and Niles merely looked angry. He was just as panicked and angry, maybe even moreso, but the feelings were not visible upon his face. It was as if he painted over his emotions. The fortune teller only looked more concerned upon seeing this, "That's all I know, my lord."

 

     The cool façade was instantly ruined with a flicker of irritation, "Then how am I supposed to prevent my death, then?"

 

     Niles, losing his composure out of concern, raised his hand and scowled as he acknowledged the guards, "She's lying, obviously, take her away!"

 

     This time, Leo would not stop him. He let the guards come upon her, ignoring her panicked looks as the soldiers grabbed under her arms and began to forcefully drag her out. She kicked at them, even tried to bite them a few times, but Leo only sighed, "Treat her gently. She's just lying, not killing anybody."

 

     "I'm not lying!" She screeched as she was dragged, her voice breathless with how much she struggled against their holds, "You're going to die! Your hands will turn into claws! Your eyes will grow dark, and soon the sun will be your enemy! Horns, thorns-" she gasped as an irritated guard grabbed her hair, now pulling it out of it's intricate updo. Lavender locks fell around her shoulders in messy, undone waves. She looked like a mad-woman, "Listen to me! It will start soon! Listen!"

 

    He did not listen. He watched her kick and scream as she was dragged out, face impassive and cold.

 

    "She's known for pranks, my lord," Odin reassured hesitantly, with an unnaturally nervous smile on his lips, "Maybe it was that."

 

     "A poor one, at that," Leo's tongue felt bitter as he pushed himself off the throne and stood up, now walking down the short steps to take his leave, "No more guests today, tell everybody to come back tomorrow." If he listened, he could still hear the prophetess crying in the distance. She would be kicked out, simply, and hopefully not seen again with her grim fortunes and desperate eyes.

 

     "She was lying," Niles assured as he followed, "There's no reason to believe her. Don't be nervous, my Lord."

  

     There was no way for Leo to _not_ be nervous. He had his death predicted by a woman who was always right. She had never failed before, if the rumors were to be correct, and Leo would die if he didn't find this tower and princess. It was so vague, he wouldn't even know where to begin with it. Denial and a closed mind set in, and Leo forced himself to stay busy for the rest of the day, keeping the event off his mind.

 

    It was that night that he had nightmares of claws, dark eyes, horns, and thorns.

 

    He awoke scratching his own skin so hard that his fingernails bled and his heart threatened to jump right out of his chest. No amount of scrubbing seemed to wash away the flecks of drying blood. He stood over a dirtied wash bin, observing his hands, and cursing under his breath with rising panic. He swore, that just for half a second, one of his fingers had turned into a sharp, animalistic claw, only to return to normal half a second later.

 

                                                                                  ----------------------------

     With Ryoma, Takumi, and Hinoka all gone, Sakura found herself jumping at every shadow. As she should be, with the demons of the night stalking her.

 

     It was the scariest shadow of them all lurking right outside her window, in the corners of the hallways, unseen by both retainers and the priestess herself. The villain of this 'once upon a time' wore the devil's grin tonight, watching the little priestess roam her castle halls warily. She had reason to fear the shadows, even with Hana at her side. Both were tired, rubbing their eyes and speaking in soft tones so as to not awaken the maids and servants that slept in the rooms they passed.

 

    The swordswoman followed her lady, keeping her eyes ahead of her before flickering them down to the little princess, "Are you sure you want me to stop calling you a princess? You _are_ one…" No matter how much she insisted that title was not hers, it was hard to let the habit go. Technically, she still was a princess, she just wouldn't be obliged to marry royalty, or deal with politics, or inherit the throne. It was less pressure on Sakura, something Hana was ever grateful for, yet Sakura tended to put pressure on herself anyway. Nothing would change that fact, "But I'm sorry in advance for all my future screw ups on it."

 

    "It's okay," Sakura sent her a delicate smile, "I feel much better being a priestess. Soon I'll take my vows and it'll be official…"

 

    "Are you _sure_ you want to do this, though?" Hana was hesitant, "Not everybody gets to be a princess." It was such a highly valued titled. Princesses got the exciting tales, the ones who always were sung about and told stories about in the taverns and inns. She knew for a fact that many a village girl would kill for Sakura's position, and here she was just tossing it aside.

 

    She had her reasons, though, "I don't feel like one," she shook her head sadly, "I'm not beautiful, I don't leave the castle enough to really be in d-distress, and no Prince would really like me…"

 

    "B-But you are beautiful! You're very beautiful!" The samurai stopped in her tracks, looking at her lady with desperate, pleading eyes. Sakura stopped as well, but her head hung low as she glued her own eyes to the floor, "Please believe me, my lady, you don't need to be in distress to be loved."

  

     She just seemed to tense up more, "I know, but that's how people meet…"

 

    "Well, not always. Uh, normal commoners meet through friends, or in the market. Or on the job. Not everything is a fairy tale."

 

    "I feel like for princesses it is," she shrugged her delicate shoulders, then looked away, "I-It doesn't matter anyway, I truly just want to help people. Finding someone to love isn't top priority. Being a priestess is the best position for me because I'll be closer to the sick and hurt, and t-that'll make me really happy…"

 

    Sakura looked hopeful, and her shadowy stalker cocked his head curiously at her. _What an odd little pet. A fun little toy._

 

     As the youngest, most timid, and least talented in fighting of them all, Sakura was entirely too down on herself. She wanted to be as useful as the others, as strong and powerful. Yet, here she was, safe at home in her big castle. Ryoma was off helping a village that had been under attack. Hinoka had gone along, while Takumi was off trying to 'prove himself', as he had put it. They would be gone for 3 weeks at the most, and little Sakura was left alone in her big castle, with only her retainers and her servants for comfort. They provided some, to an extent, yet it was the reassuring smiles of her siblings that she missed the most. Even the queen, Mikoto, was at a peace conference in another city. And Sakura was down on herself for having nothing courageous to fill her days with.

 

    "You're a good person, Sakura," Hana reassured, "You're very caring, Hoshido is lucky to have you."

 

    "Y-You think so?"

 

     "I know so."

 

     Such a fortunate country, Hoshido, with it's prosperous land and flowing rivers. Not too much rain, never too little. It's fae were kind, it's legends and stories all beautiful with morals and happy endings. Nohr had the short end of the stick, and it wasn't the mad-king with his evil eyes that caused it. That was just Nohr, as it truly was, and Iago wanted more for his beloved home country. So he stalked, until he saw the glimmer of hope in Sakura's eyes, and grinned as he realized he would diminish it.

 

     He left her there, in the hallway, now moving himself from shadow to shadow until he was in front of the castle doors. No guards detected him, nobody awoke by his presence. Muttering a spidery word of magic, he felt his skin clasp and morph together again as the spell turned him back into a human. Breath entered his lungs, his fingers formed into a bony fist, and he raised it against the large golden doors of the castle.

 

    And he knocked.

 

    Sakura's blood ran cold as both she and her retainer froze. Hana's hand immediately went to her sword hilt, and her shoulders hunched with tensity, The sound was unnatural, echoing all around the castle. It drummed in her ears, and seemed to be spreading through every wall. Hana was ready to fight, "There's no way we could hear a knock from here… A demon, or witch…"

   

    "M-Maybe it's…" What could the priestess play this off as? There was no way something that echoed in that manner could be normal. Yet, she would try her best, "A-A nice w-witch?"

 

    Hana blinked and furrowed her brows, "A nice witch?"

 

     "Yes… A n-nice witch."

 

     "A nice… witch? I'm sorry, my lady, but I don't think that exists."

 

     Another knock. 3 bangs on the castle doors, coming from everywhere around them.

 

    Lights were flaring up inside bedrooms, and footsteps began to creak on the floors. The entire castle was waking up at the noises. Sakura grew more nervous and began to twiddle with her fingers, as her breath hitched, "Here's to h-hoping…" speaking up, she spoke out louder to address every room around her, "Don't worry! I have Hana with me, w-we'll take care of whoever's here!"

 

    A few muffled agreements, a few servants acknowledging her command as they hushed their candles. She could hear 'as you say, my lady', and the creaking of floors as they seemed to return to bed. Yet the sliding, paper door a bit down the hallway pushed open, revealing a messy haired Tsubaki in his sleeping kimono.

 

    He had a grim, serious expression, "My lady, apologies, but I don't think you should be going alone."

 

    "I have Hana with me…"

 

    "Exactly."

 

     Hana scowled, "You wanna fight, Tsubaki? Because I will, right here and right now."

 

    "No, not really," he held up a hand coolly, "I just think I should accompany the princess as well."

 

    Another echoing knock, and Sakura jumped and whimpered this time. Protectively, Hana wrapped her arm around the younger girl, but looked at Tsubaki judgingly, "Nice jammies and bed-head."

 

    "P-Please stop arguing," Sakura seemed to crumple up like parchment as she spoke, but she knew she needed to answer the door, no matter the spears of fright striking her, "We need to a-answer the door, I don't want to disturb any of the maids or guards while we're already awake."

 

    "That’s their job," Tsubaki reminded her as he grabbed his weapon laying against the wall, stepping out into the hallway now and sliding the door shut behind him, "Besides, this is unnatural, lady Sakura. Nobody could've gotten through the gates without alerting the guards, who would alert us."

 

    A thought passed through the three of them, unspoken by words, only by minds. The guards could've stayed silent because they silenced forever in death. They could be slain silently by an assassin, a ninja, or a vengeful spirit. There were too many explanations, and it rattled Sakura to the core.

 

    Nonetheless, she was in charge of this castle, and she would defend it with her life.

 

    She pushed herself to continue her walk, straightening her shoulders and back and clutching her hands together in front of her. She had to look strong, refined in the face of possible death. She wouldn't be shaken, at least outwardly. Hana smiled, pleased at her Lady's courage. She and Tsubaki followed the priestess loyally.

 

    The three began to dismiss maids that had been rattled awake by the knocks. A few were hesitantly lingering near the golden castle doors, wide eyed and unsure of what to do. No guards had been awoken, no shouts or alarms were raised up, and Sakura felt entirely alone in this. The throne room was big, open wide, and covered in the banners decorated with the colors of her nation. She could only hope she wouldn't die in this room, and her assumptions of a 'nice witch' were correct.

 

    Hana walked up to the large door, putting her hand on the big, golden handle that would open it. The short woman looked dwarfed beside it, but with Tsubaki taking the other door beside it, the entrance was opened with a great heave and moan of protest from it's hinges.

 

    There Sakura stood, in the middle of the aisle, hands clutched together and shoulders shaking. Standing across from her was a tall, lanky man, who's skin looked grey in the Hoshidan moonlight.

 

    He was a walking corpse in front of her, knocking on her door. His teeth seemed to gleam in the moonlight as his thin lips twisted up into an evil, ugly grin. She could not see his eyes, but she could see a black frame of greasy hair over his face. His voice was one that would haunt her for weeks.

 

     "Hello, Princess Sakura. I am Iago. Would you allow me to rest here tonight?"


	2. The Toad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Simple," he lowered his voice to a hissing whisper, "His Majesty wants a war."

3 days with her guest, and Sakura was just about ready to… whisper in a slightly louder tone than usual.

 

 Of course she wouldn't yell at the man, she would barely have the guts to yell at her siblings, let alone a complete stranger. A complete stranger that happened to be a guest in her home, despite all the warnings she had gotten from well meaning maids and servants.

 

  "I don't like the look in his eyes, m'lady," one whispered dramatically, her own wrinkled eyes avoiding Sakura's out of respect. She had never liked that servants felt the need to look away from her, as if she was bright enough to blind them as Ryoma was, "He's a devious one."

 

  "I'm sorry," Was all Sakura could reply, "I-I'll make sure you're not assigned to taking care of his room and meals."

 

  "It's all the maids, though, m'lady! Nobody wants to even get near him!"

 

  As rude as it was, Sakura could understand the feeling. It wasn't Iago's greasy hair, sinister smile, or corpse-like pallor. It was simply the look in his eyes, how he held himself, and the general feeling of not wanting to meet him in a dark alley, let alone one's own hallway at home. And this was not only Sakura's home, but the maids and servants as well. To ignore their unease would be unloving, something that would poke at her conscience, yet to kick out a guest without any reason to would do the same, no matter how scary he was.

 

  So, Tsubaki suggested she _find_ a reason. There had to be one among his belongings.

 

  The Nohrian mage was out in the courtyard when she made her move. He enjoyed looking at the stars, and finding some reclusive corner among the shrubbery to do Gods-know-what. He probably hunted fairies and ripped the heads off, is what Hana had said. Sakura, preferring to assume the best about a person, decided he just enjoyed the stars.

 

  Whatever the reason for him to be out there, Sakura and Tsubaki were taking the opportunity to exact some espionage.

 

   Hana didn't know that her rival retainer had been picked for the job, or even that the job was happening in the first place, as Sakura had known Hana wasn't exactly the quietest of sneaking-around partners. Without any offense meant to her best friend, Sakura just knew Tsubaki would perform better with his graceful manner. Not that the shy priestess herself was any better than Hana, or that she enjoyed the thought of rummaging through another's things, yet she knew she had to see the proof for herself.

 

   Anything to get that feeling of evil that followed the mage everywhere he went _out_ of her castle.

 

   And besides that, he wasn't a very good guest. He terrorized the maids, a few barely escaping death when they even dared to not bring him salt at dinner. He would request something, then say he never even mentioned it, and take it upon himself to 'punish' the maid or servant that had brought it. He had ruined 3 guest rooms, and stepped on Mikoto's flowers in the garden. In short, the man had to go. Whether the excuse that he was sent by king Garon for diplomacy was true or not, Sakura knew she had to take action.

 

   That's what Hinoka would do. That's what Takumi would do. Even Ryoma would handle it, albeit much better than her. She couldn't even approach her guest and ask him for the truth in person, she had no choice but to resort to back handed efforts to have reason to kick him out. All in the name of how nervous she was in his presence.

 

   She and Tsubaki waited outside his door, both watching it with pursed lips. He wasn’t in there, with their connection of maids keeping an eye on him from the windows of the castle. If he moved from his spot in the courtyard, a bell would be rung throughout the castle, something usually used to signify that dinner had started, yet tonight's true meaning of the bell would mean something entirely different. Sakura knew that she didn't have much time, but she still stared at the paper door apprehensively.

 

   Tsubaki was waiting patiently, as he often had to do for his lady. The princess was known to show hesitance, even at food stalls in festivals, and he oftentimes had to stand by idly while she mentally perused over every option available to her. This time, though, it was a little more serious than choosing between cooked or raw sushi. Sighing to catch her attention, he spoke up lowly, "Would you like me to go first, my lady?"

 

   Sakura seemed to jump, as if being pulled from a trance, "W-Wh- Oh. O-Oh yes, I think s-so. O-Or maybe… not! Maybe not! I mean…" She cleared her throat and brought her hands up in front of her chest to twiddle them, lacing them together and biting her lip as she kept her eyes on the designs of the door, "I don't k-know… I s-should go in first…"

 

   He acted as if he was fine with that, though in all reality, he knew he would make sure he took the brunt of the hit if there was a trap waiting behind the door, and he had a feeling there was. With how Iago acted in everything he did, Tsubaki had been sleeping with one eye open the last 3 days. "My lady, I should go first, in case there's a trap."

 

   She bit her lip again, now flickering her eyes up to him to look at him through dark lashes, "I w-won't let you s-sacrifice yourself for me…"

 

   "It's just opening a door, my lady."

 

   Her cheeks now grew pink as she tensed up. She dropped her twiddling hands and straightened her shoulders, as if realizing how silly she was being about it. The fact that she had very little time to do this, too, only increased the anxiety in her heart. "R-Right… Yes, you m-may open it. But I have to go inside first!" She shouted the last part with a forced confidence, as if pushing her words out against their own will.

 

   Tsubaki only chuckled lightly, putting a hand on the handle and beginning to slide the door over. It opened smoothly, with no explosions or spells to greet them with, and only the sound of an intake of breath from Sakura, and the 'woosh' of the door against the ground, reaching their ears. The room seemed lived in, messy with spell books tossed on the ground, and white runes written in chalk on the wooden floor.

 

  The princess frowned glumly, an odd look on her youthful face, "He's been c-casting spells in here."

 

  "It seems so," Tsubaki put out an arm in front of her, and now took a step over the threshold, "Best to let me go first."

 

  Sakura wasn't entirely too pleased at that, but she allowed it. Both her retainers were entirely too protective, and while she appreciated their dedication and friendship, she still didn't like the thought of another getting hurt in her stead. Just for comfort, Sakura reached behind her to feel the outline of her stave hanging at her waist under her white cloak, it's presence would always still her heart just the slightest bit.

 

   She followed Tsubaki into the room and resisted the urge to grab his arm for comfort, trying to be strong in the face of what lie in wait. The room seemed entirely normal, as normal as Iago seemed to get. Besides the odd runes on the ground - she avoided stepping near those at all costs - and the spell books, it seemed safe enough. The mat on the floor was rumpled and unkempt, a sign that the maids hadn't even attempted to come by today. The window was shut with the bamboo blinds pulled down to block out all moonlight that might've streamed in. The mirror looked dirty with fingerprints, though Sakura doubted that Iago did much primping in front of it. He most likely just rubbed his grimy fingers on it to give the maids more work.

 

   It was after standing in the middle of the room for a moment, that Sakura noticed the corpse.

 

   It wasn't a human corpse, but instead a fairy. The sight was enough to send a shock into her heart all the same. She gasped and walked over to the desk, where a glass cup was overturned to keep it's small body inside. It must've suffocated, now just a little spindly body with black eyes. She had always loved the fae folk, with their bright lights and high pitched giggles, their little parties and their mischevious magic spells. Some could make wooden boys into real humans, some could trick lovers into being with the wrong person, some could spirit the naïve and foolish away to their own world to e _at_ them. Yet, it didn't take away from how pretty they could be.

 

    And this one was dead, trapped like a bug. It was a life, albeit not human, but still a life, and now it was over.

 

   "I-Is fairy murder a crime?" She turned to Tsubaki, who was scowling at the little decaying body.

 

   "I don't believe so."

 

    She sighed, "Of course not." Leaning forward, she lifted the cup, leaning it against it's small back and shimmying the little body onto her palm, "We'll g-give it a proper burial. I've never liked the l-laws on non-human creatures anyway." Trolls, fairies, dwarves, they all were deemed less than human, and thus got worse laws. There was no justice in human civilizations for them, and they often would retreat into the forest and avoid humans at all costs, even killing wanderers when they took the wrong step into their cities. It was no secret that fae-folk were seen as a scourge.

 

    Yet, they were still lives, they had families and memories, and Sakura wouldn't stand for any murders while she was around. The only thing stopping her was the fact that there were no actual laws that could incriminate Iago, even if she produced the corpse.

 

    "At least w-we know for sure that he's t-terrible," She sighed now and began to walk out of the room, slowly so as to not disturb any of the book piles scattered across the floor. There was no doubt in her mind that Iago was a terrible person now, there was no way she could dispute this, no matter how much optimism she held inside her heart. The little corpse in her hand only made her feel sick for even letting him inside the castle.

 

    She held the fairy gingerly, but on her way out, a book caught her eye. She stopped in her tracks, making Tsubaki stop as well as he followed her gaze down to the book. It was different from the rest, which were all black and purple, or weathered and torn. This one was bright and white as if it had never been touched, outlined with gold across the binding, and a large cursive print on the front. Sakura leaned down, her palms still upturned with the fairy in them as she leaned into read the title.

 

    "My lady, I wouldn't get so close," her retainer held out a hand, concerned for the wondering gaze on his princess's face, "It might be cursed. Oftentimes, Nohrians will use shiny tricks to make cursed things look okay."

 

    That stopped her, yet she was already squatting down, knees bent, to read the title, "I-I won't touch it, don't worry. I'm just reading the title, I f-feel like… I've seen it before…"

 

    Sakura couldn’t place _where_ for the life of her. She frowned as she finally comprehended the sprawling gold text, reading 'History of the World'. She felt too creeped out to even speak out loud, to even stay in the room seemed difficult. Sighing, she pushed her legs up again and rushed out of the room, small corpse still in her palms as Tsubaki followed, the book forgotten now.

 

    The freedom lasted exactly 2 seconds.

  

    The priestess stopped in her tracks as she felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. It was dread, nervousness, and a stomach ache, all tied into one cocktail of a feeling. Her lungs seemed to close up, and she closed her eyes as she realized the only person who could ever make her feel that way was very, _very_ close.

 

     She had felt that way for the last 3 days, at every dinner she had to politely sit through with him, at every run-in in the hallways at night. No bells had went off, no warnings sounding. Iago was standing behind her.

 

    "Hello, princess."

 

     She felt sort of like a smart-ass for her next reply, and didn't even give him the honor of turning around to face him. Instead, she kept her eyes ahead of her, while Tsubaki gripped her arm protectively, "I a-apologize," She wished she didn't stutter, she wished she could still her tongue's own mind, and sound as cold as she did in her head, "I-I am a-af-fraid… t-that I am not… a p-princess. I am…" She took a deep breath to steady her heart, "I am a p-priestess. Not a princess."

 

     He didn't seem impressed. His response came right as she ended her sentence, not missing a beat, "You're a thief, that's what you are."

 

     Tsubaki rounded on him like a hurricane, fury painting his usually composed features as he scowled at the smirking mage, "You dare to accuse the princess of thievery? Who do you think you are?"

 

    Sakura turned slowly to face the Nohrian, watching him spread out his palms in front of him as if he was innocent. He looked _amused,_ uneffected by her retainers fury, "I'm a diplomat from the country that could easily crush you in war."

 

     "They could do no such thing," Tsubaki was basically spitting poison at him, though the mage cared not, "You've insulted the princess, you need to _leave._ "

 

     "Thought she was a priestess."

 

     "That too! _Leave._ "

  

     Iago's smirk now fell, only to be replaced with a nasty scowl. His eyes narrowed at the small, trembling girl in front of him, flickering them down to the little corpse she held in her hands in front of her. "She's a _thief,_ first my fairy, now my book."

 

      "B-Book?" Sakura squeaked, "I-I didn't s-steal a book, and you… k-killed this f-f-fairy!"

 

       His scowl deepened, "That _'f-f-f-airy'_   me, priestess. Is this how you treat a guest? This will get to the King of Nohr, I promise you that. The entire world will know that the beloved Hoshidan princess is a damn thief and liar."attacked

 

 Sakura felt ashamed. Her cheeks burned with humiliation, no matter the loathing she felt towards this man. He still humiliated her, but she knew to stand by the fact that he still murdered and took a life, no matter how small. Sakura hated _him,_ but she wouldn't take his life anytime soon. "You w-weren't a very good guest! A-And y-you… you're a-accusing me of something I never did!"

 

      " _My book,_ " he hissed, seeming to loom over her, "The history book, white binding, gold trim, sound familiar? You stole it. I can take you back to my room and _show you_ that it's not there."

 

      Tsubaki was barely regaining his composure now, though it was obvious his anger was bottled up, ready to burst at any second, "We were just in your room, you didn't even have time to find it missing. And I assure you, as a witness, the princess didn't even touch it."

 

      She knew she didn't, but she also knew of Iago's trickery and deceit. Steeling herself, she looked the mage in the eyes, "Take me to your room." No stuttering, no pausing. She had to be proud of herself for that one.

 

     Iago sneered arrogantly, "But first, get rid of that trash you're carrying, it holds no use for my spells any longer." Before anybody could react, he shot his hand out, slapping the side of Sakura's palm and making her drop the fairy. She gasped and jumped as she watched the little body fly through the air, smacking against the wall with a thud and falling to the ground, where it's limbs lay mishapen and broke.

 

    In horror, she turned her eyes away, "Y-You're terrible!"

 

    "Coming from a thief," he sneered, turning around now and walking down the hall, back to the open door of his bedroom. Tsubaki looked disgusted, but kept a comforting hand on her arm as he led her to the open doorway, where Iago stopped and stood. He put his bony hands on his hips, peering into his cluttered room and raising a thin brow, "No book. See?"

 

    Hesitantly, Sakura peered inside. Both she and her retainer tensed up upon realizing that he was right. The mage was right. There was no book on the floor.

 

    It was the sound of a weapon being pulled out that made Sakura break out of her confusion. There was the 'shiiirk', and the end of Tsubaki's lance was pointed at Iago's neck. Tsubaki had never quite been the one to jump the gun, but this was entirely too maddening to not react this way upon.

 

    The pegasi flyer narrowed his cat-like eyes, looking dangerous as he stared down the arrogant Nohrian, "This is a trick. Princess Sakura never even touched the book. Accusing royalty of a crime is punishable by death, no matter if you're a diplomat or not."

 

    Sakura felt her heart sink as she watched the scene unfold. She was confused, terrified, and felt the sting of tears pooling in her eyes. Her face felt warm, and nose runny, "I-I d-didn't steal a-anything th-thing!"

 

    "Little crybaby. Time to shut your dog up."

 

    The words were an omen, accompanied by his bony hand being raised up into the air. He spread out his fingers in front of Tsubaki, who reared back in disgust, yet kept his spear at the mage's adam's apple. He didn't seem to be phased by the weapon at his neck, or the small dribble of red blood now trailing down his pale skin. All he had his attention on were his fingers, now bending like claws, and his lips murmuring the beginning of a magic spell. The air grew heavy, and Sakura felt as if she couldn't breath.

 

    Yet another instance of the princess sitting idly by and letting something terrible happen. Yet another instance where her siblings would've ended this long ago. Yet another instance of _cowardice._

 

    She would not let this happen, not under her rule.

 

    With a high pitched cry, she rammed her entire body into Iago's. She didn't have much weight on her, but Iago didn't have meat on his bones to keep him upright. His eyes widened, and she screamed again she pushed him into his room. Tsubaki yelled, though Sakura heard nothing. She was only focused on balling her hand up into a fist, and pounding it against the mage's chest as he lay on the ground under her.

 

    Iago gasped for air as her fist made contact with his chest. She punched him again, though improperly. She used the side of her hand, her thumb under her fingers instead of outside of them. Her hand grew sore as she pounded it against his sharp collar bone.

 

   "Sakura!" Tsubaki screeched, but it was instantly cut off with Iago outstretching his hand and yelling a sudden word of magic, the door sliding shut abruptly as he did so. Outside of it, the dark shadow of Tsubaki banging against the sliding door could be seen, yet his words were muffled and unheard by the princess.

 

    Next, Iago grabbed her wrists with both his hands, looking furious as he scowled up at the young girl. She gasped and stopped, her limbs tired, and hair in her eyes as she made eye contact with the ugly mage. She would've shrunk down, if not for her being on top of him. Even being in such close proximity made her stomach churn with disgust.

 

    "Little wench," his voice was scratchy, breathy with what she could detect as nervousness. It seemed that when the shy girl lashed out in such a way, it scared all in her proximity, especially the girl herself, "You're a beast."

 

     She jerked herself off of his body and curled up against the wall. Bringing her knees to her chest like a barrier between her and him, she eyed him warily with big, wet eyes, "Y-You're the b-beast!"

 

     Like a child, he spat back, "You are! You're the beast!"

 

     Instead of gracing him with a reply, Sakura desperately clutched at the nearest book. Once in her shaking hands, she vaulted it towards his head weakly. He jerked away and barely missed it, watching over his shoulder as it crashed against the wall and fall on the floor, pages now open and on display. He kept his eyes on it as he gasped and scrambled for the book, "Exactly the one I wanted!"

 

     The one he wanted?

 

    Hot tears were running down her cheeks in trails, and her throat felt blocked with pebbles as she tried to catch her breath. Her vision was blurry, but she managed to make out Iago gingerly picking up the tome, now directed his gritted teeth at her from across the room. Outside the door, Tsubaki had left, presumably to go get guards and fetch Hana, but Sakura felt entirely too alone in this. The only thought in her mind was a constant, unerring repeat of _someone save me. Someone save me. Someone save me._

 

Iago raised a bony hand, looking like a wicked, evil demon as he looked down at her.

 

    Nobody was there to save her.

 

    "You have a destiny ahead of you," he began lowly, looking entirely too pleased in himself for seeing her tears stream as heavily as they did, "I've seen it in crystal balls, dark mirrors cast with powerful spells of foresight. One of love…"

 

    She found no solace in his words. She only tried to calm her hiccups and gasps for air, trying to not look like the pathetic crybaby she thought herself as.

 

    Iago seemed to enjoy her struggle, "Such a violent little pet."

 

   _I'm not violent. I'm not a beast. I was defending my friend. You're the beast._

 

"Does such an ugly girl even deserve that loving future I saw?"

 

    _I'm not an ugly girl. I deserve love._

 

 The room began to light up with an unnatural purple aura, almost like a fog rolling in around the mage and priestess. It suffocated her, entering her lungs and cutting off her air. Her skin crawled as if it was covered in bugs, and she could only shut her eyes to block it all out. "I have a curse for you, little monster. I meant to do this in a… much less messy way. I could've gone without your sudden attack, it was supposed to be so much smoother…" The book, the 'diplomat of Nohr' excuse, it was all a trap. He was baiting her, just waiting for her to slip up and do something so he could enact his plan. She thought herself stupid, so very stupid.

 

     "C-Curse…" she gasped, the world around her dark, but still entirely too real. She refused to open her eyes, "D-Don’t…"

 

     T _oo late._

 

    "Your future love will begin to turn into a beast, a fitting match for a girl such as yourself. He will transform, and he will die, and you will be cursed to _never_ be loved again. The world will hate you, as I hate you. Even your love, on his deathbed, will hate you. You will die alone, and forgotten by your family."

 

    The words were like a rain on her head, weighing her down. The world was still black with her shut eyes as she managed to speak through the tears, "W-Why a-are you d-doing this to m-me?"

 

    "Simple," he lowered his voice to a hissing whisper, "His Majesty wants a war."

 

    She sobbed again. War. The very word shook her to the core. "Y-You're c-cursing me, b-b-basically…. _attacking_ Hoshido."

 

    "No…" he sounded softer now, condescending, "It is _you_ who is attacking Nohr."

 

     Shocked and confused, her eyes shot open.

 

     Iago was nowhere to be seen.

 

     It was as if he was never there in the first place. It seemed impossible, his voice was so close to her, the warmth from his body seeming entirely too real to be an illusion. Yet, he was gone, with the white and gold book sitting on the floor in front of her instead, taking his place. It lay open, pages looking up at the ceiling. As she leaned forward to peer inside frightfully, she read the first lines.

 

    _Once upon a time, there was a vallite dragon princess, hidden from the world in a tall tower._

 

Outside the room, she could hear a slew of footsteps running from down the hall, voices carrying up to her spot. She ignored them and wiped away her remaining tears she gripped the edges of the book tightly, finding herself unable to stop reading.

 

    _Placed there by an evil King, she is cursed to an eternity of loneliness. She sits in her tower, looking out the window and waiting for the day a handsome prince is to come save her. Yet every Prince that visits becomes scared upon the realization that she is a dragon, or they steal a scale off her hide._

 

A scale. Dragon scales were rare, oftentimes only given to the richest of Nobles, and even then they were stolen by thieves if not locked up tightly enough. Sakura had always found it rather inhumane to steal a dragon scale, or to kill a living creature simply because of the wealth it carried. Fascinated, she continued to ignore the guards as they neared her with shouts of concern. Instead, she picked the book up fully, and thumbed through the pages.

 

   It had pictures along with it's stories. They were all different, some drawn in charcoal, some painted. Some crude, some well done. But they all looked familiar as if she was seeing this through hazy, dream-like eyes. It was on the last page that she saw the picture familiar enough to make her gasp outloud.

 

   The book clattered to the floor once more, falling open to reveal a painted portrait of herself, sitting in the window of an ivy covered tower, watching a white dragon fly off into the distance, while a horned, armored, demonic looking character, dressed in black, waited for her on the ground below.

 

  

 

                                                                --------------------------

 

     The prophetess's words echoed endlessly in Leo's mind, so much so that he dared to entreat his own father for council.

 

     How odd that going to one's father for advice and concerns was such a big deal to the prince. It was by his knowledge that it was an entirely normal thing to do among commoners. Even Odin had a father to go to at one point. Niles would only smile bitterly when asked about his, but besides him, many in the castle were able to speak to their father freely and without worry.

 

     Leo could only suppose that was the curse of royalty. Having to fill out paperwork and wait a consecutive 3 days to have his request returned with an approval and set time to be able to see his own father. Yet, there was something in his chest that told him it wasn't right, that this wasn't the Garon he knew as a child. He never had to fill out any paperwork to ride on his shoulders, or pat his knee for attention.

 

     But yet again, the prince brushed it off. He could only suppose that this was adulthood.

 

    Here he was, his request stamped with the 'Approved' seal in his hands as he waited outside his Father's office. Iago had returned in a flurry of purple fog and suffocating magic around him just the day before, and was now stepping out of the cherry-wood door that led to Garon's study. He looked worse than before, weaker almost as he stepped into the hallway and sent Leo a smarmy grin. "Oh hello, heard you got a visit from that annoying prophet."

 

    Leo was not amused, nor was he intimidated. Only contempt filled his voice as he responded, "You've only been back for a day, yet you know all the gossip. I never took you for enjoying such a womanly activity."

 

    Iago was struck with a humiliated scowl, "I'm full of surprises, my lord. How have your dreams been? Seen any omens? Unnatural prophecies?"

 

    Now it was Leo's turn to scowl, but only out of shock. His dreams had been wrought with beasty claws and ghastly roars, the wide eyes of a terrified Prophetess, and his own skin feeling as if it was on fire. He didn't count any of it as an omen or prophecy, as he didn't have the foresight or gift of prophecy to even begin with seeing into the future. Orochi's visit had merely shook him up inside, and it was paranoia based upon stress and too much work on his shoulders.

 

    Iago was scum. Absolute scum. A prince had no business speaking with him, so Leo only brushed past him and into the open door of his Father's study, "Goodbye, toad."

 

    "T-Toad?"

 

    Iago's eyes widening was the most satisfying sight Leo had seen all day. He merely raised his black gloved fingers, snapping his thumb and middle finger and shooting out a quick spell word. In a puff of purple smoke, Iago was gone. And in his place was a green and brown warty toad on the ground, croaking up angrily at the prince.

 

    "Leo," Garon growled from behind his large desk, mouth turned down permanently, "Turn him back."

 

    The smirk washed away from the youngest prince's features as he sighed heavily. What a shame. And he was enjoying Iago's new form entirely too much. "Yes, father." Snapping his fingers and saying the reverse of the spell word he just uttered, there was another puff of smoke as the toad was replaced suddenly with a terrifed, shaken, and _angry_ Iago.

 

     "Y-You dare? You dare to turn me-"

 

     Garon seemed to growl from deep within his chest, "Leave us."

 

     The sorcerer immediately shrunk back and twiddled his bony fingers together, taking a step out of the room and averting his eyes, "Y-Yes my king…" With that, he sent Leo one last glare, before turning tail end and quickly taking his leave. Once he turned out of sight, Leo put his hand on the doorknob and sighed as he shut it behind him with a heavy click.

 

      "Stop turning people into toads, Leo."

 

      He sighed again, though this time it sounded more like an annoyed teenager being lectured by a mother, "I will attempt to."

 

      "No, you _will,_ " it was a command, solemn and deep in his father's usual tone, "Either just kill someone, or have them arrested."

 

      "Uh… yes Father, I will… attempt to kill more?"

  

      Garon leaned back in his chair and nodded, beefy hand going under his bearded chin as he raised his eyes ahead, past Leo, "Good, my son. What are you bothering me with today?"

 

     He couldn't help but flinch, but knew it as a sign of weakness and immediately regained himself. Loosely wrapping his fingers around each other and placing his hands behind his back, he lifted his chin in what he hoped looked like a dignified and princely way, "I have a concern."

 

    Garon's eyes flickered to him, "Oh?"

 

    "About that Prophetess. Orochi is her name, as I've been told."

 

    "Cast her out of your mind, she's not worth the time."

 

    "Well," he shuffled, but stopped himself and straightened his posture once more, hands tightening around each other, "I found her words… unsettling. She was so desperate, that I believe there may be some truth among them."

 

     It was a split second later that Garon slammed a meaty hand down upon the desk, making his papers slide and his knicks knacks jump. Leo did not jump, for he was expecting such a display from his father. The man broke something on a daily basis. "Get her out of your mind! I'm having her hung for threatening a prince!"  
 

     Bewildered, Leo tensed, "She did no such thing, Father."

 

    "Shut up, boy, she came into my throne room, talking of death and towers, making you uneasy. That is a threat! She will be hung by tomorrow."

 

    "Fath-"

 

    "It is final. Leave me."

 

    And thus, with a heavy heart, he did.

 

    Once his Father's study door was closed behind him, he made a bee-line straight to the dungeons where Orochi was being kept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -this is such a silly story, it's so cheesy and i am so sorry
> 
> \- but nonetheless, if you liked it then please tell me!!! I love comments, they keep me going and keep me motivated, so if you've got anything to say then don't hesitate!!! 
> 
> \- Any questions, too, or concerns, I will try to answer without spoilers to the best of my ability!


	3. Prophetess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His life had come down to two paths he could take. The shrewd one conceals himself, and Leo had always been the shrewdest of them all. Naïve, he was not. Trusting, he was not. Intelligent and careful, he was. Yet, which decision proved to be the correct path was unknown, with no way of telling between them.

 North of the flesh eating pixie restaurant, left of the witch's bed and breakfast, right of the talking tree, on the road of certain death, east of the cave of the undead singing skeletons, right past the family of trolls who painted in return for human pelvises, was a tower so tall it blocked the sun itself.

 

  And getting there was absolute hell, as one might imagine.

 

  Xander had not enjoyed his journey, but instead enjoyed the sight laid out before him. The ivy covered tower was in the middle of a clear pond, complete with lily pads, and a blue surface that reflected the clouds above. It looked as if there was no aquatic life there, no birds to swoop down into the water, with even water bugs and other insects being absent. The tower in the middle was well kept and cast a straight, black shadow over the world beneath it, complete with the window at the very top open to let what very little breeze there was inside. 

 

   The scene was picturesque, not at all something that could be toted as the lair of a dragon.

 

   He kept one hand on the hilt of his blade, and the other gripping the reigns of his war horse, Roheryn. Dragons were deceitful creatures, able to disguise their surroundings to relax even the strongest of warriors. There were no birds tweeting in the trees around him, no air, just a stillness as if he had entered inside a painting. The hair on the back of  his neck seemed to prickle as a warning.

 

   He slid off Roheryn, patting her neck and leading her to the water to drink. His other hand still rested on the handle of Siegfried, letting the magic of the sword vibrate against his finger, and the warrior instinct that ran through his veins take over. His mind, his blood and his heart, all pricked up in high alert. 

 

   Roheryn nuzzled the water, creating a ripple effect throughout the still pond. He kept an eye on the small waves and the rippled cloud reflections, barely even catching a glimpse of the silver object flying in the sky.

 

  The pond rippled again, and the large object was closer. It reflected the sun, it's wings spread out like a bird's and it's tail trailing behind. Xander squinted, leaned in… and proceeded to make a wild dash for the trees.

 

    The great beast was silver and shimmering. It glided as if it was merely a bird with its vast wings spread out to take up the sky overhead. He had hidden behind a tree, listening to Roheryn neigh in fear and gallop in a short burst to his hiding place. "Quiet," he hissed as he petted her mane, "it can hear us."

 

    If the dragon could, it made no signs of it. He peaked out and watched it merely land peacefully atop the pointy roof of the tower, and stretch out it's neck as if it was a preening cat. At his waist, Siegfried's magic seemed to buzz even more intensely, almost as if anticipating the fight that was to come. The dragon was the oddest creature Xander had ever seen, with horns and hooves like a buck, but sharp lethal wings and a barbed tail. It was like no dragon he had ever fought, but perhaps that was why Siegfried seemed to buzz in excitement - this would be life or death.

 

   "Get ready," he looked back at Roheryn and rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, "This is for Nohr, this is for Father and all the people relying on us."

 

   A deep breath, closed eyes, and a grip so tight on his sword that his knuckles turned white. He was ready for this. It was for his family, for his people, for his country. "For Nohr," he chanted, stepping out of the woods and brandishing his legendary sword, "For Nohr!"

 

   Yet, his battle cry had went unheard, for the dragon was no longer there. It had disappeared without a sound.

 

**3 Weeks Earlier**

 

  Leo was not a doubtful man. Rather confident in his abilities, he very rarely doubted his own strength in doing what he was best at. From his childhood, he had honed and crafted every skill he could get his hands upon. Magic was not his only talent, as lying currently resided as his _other_ skill - lying to his father, especially.

 

 Leo didn't share Xander's iron-like sense of loyalty to Nohr. He wasn't sweet like Elise. He didn't mother everybody like Camilla. He was the middle child, the sneaky one who had to survive off wits and a thriving, all-consuming inferiority complex. It's said that resentment and insecurity oftentimes makes for the best motivator, and the proof was in Leo. Through the years, after the initial concubine war of his younger days, he found himself forming a rather sly way of dealing with his father. The King would command for something, Leo would make it look all nice and convincing as he did the exact opposite.

 

 Magic was his preferred tool, but Niles and Odin worked just as well. Niles had made copies of the guard schedules long ago, in case if he or an ally ever needed an escape plan and didn't want to be caught. It had come in handy before when sneaking food to the library on a late-night study binge, but it's use now was far more important.

 

 Odin went on ahead of the prince to divert the guard that would be coming down the hall in just a minute or two. Often, in Nohr's underground cities, one could find certain potions and powders that would make even the hardest heist easy, and Leo had no problem using the criminal inclinations of his people for his own benefit - as much as he wished those inclinations didn't exist in the first place. Odin had found a pink, glittery powder, used to knock anybody out. All he had to do was blow it into the guards face, and he'd be fast asleep on the floor. Odin could do that, while Leo just casually strolled on past as if taking a nice, evening walk.

 

 His hands were folded behind his back properly, his shoulders pushed back and posture relaxed and casual. Ahead of him, he caught sight of Odin dragging the guards body into the room, and sending a quick thumbs up at his liege to signify a job well done. Odin had done his part, now Leo could only hope Niles was doing his.

 

 Who was he kidding? Of course he was. Niles lived and breathed these schemes, and fortunately for him he'd gotten the most scheming sibling of them.

 

 Except Elise. Elise could scheme like no other, but her plans to fill all the bathtubs with pudding didn't count.

 

 The prisoners dungeon was around the corner, and down a very dark, winding staircase. Along the way, he stopped for a second to grab a torch from the hall, and let the golden light of the flame paint the stone around him. Behind him, Odin was closing the door with the sleeping guard, and now following his prince down the staircase.

 

 "Is Niles in position?"

 

 Odin grinned, "You know it."

 

 He knew it. Schemes were normal for the trio. Leo didn't think himself a dishonest man, but he knew of his gift in lies and subterfuge, despite having such a blunt tongue on him. Leo was not born a schemer, a prodigy or genius. He _made_ himself this way, oftentimes with no choice in the matter. Xander was both cursed and blessed with being the eldest and crown prince, it meant that everybody would look at him and listen with intent. Leo, on the other hand, was merely granted the respect his title and intelligence earned, but no push or pull in any decision. To get what he thought was the best result, subterfuge was his only option.

 

 Of course, it didn't usually involve prophetesses who foretold of his death, and disobeying his father's orders by seeing her, but there would be no logic in ignoring someone who was almost _always_ right about her fortunes. Leo was humble enough to admit his concern over what she said, and arrogant enough to disobey a direct order.

 

 The two men's steps were the only sound in the hallway. Leo wore more casual clothes, normal leather boots instead of his heavy armored ones, his footsteps remained light and barely audible, while Odin followed closely behind. Up ahead, it was entirely silent. Absent were the noises of guards, as there usually would be - Niles had done his job.

 

 "Mi'lord," Odin prodded from behind him, "Isn't this… _your_ castle?"

 

 "Well, technically, it's my great, great, great grandfathers. But you're not speaking in technicalities, are you?"

 

 "No, Mi'lord."

 

 Leo sighed, "Yes, it's my family's castle. Why do you ask?"

 

 He could hear the rustle of Odin's clothing, a hesitation in his step. Yet, he kept following, "Why do we have to avoid all the guards?"

 

 A common question. Oftentimes, servants or retainers would catch a royal sibling hiding, or going a special route to avoid guards. Elise seemed to be the only one who didn't do it, and it was unknown whether she was ignorant of the purpose of the guards, or just didn't care. With Leo being the only sibling left in the castle in the present moment, all the guards attention had resided on _him,_ and he simply hated it. "Father is paranoid, every guard reports back to him personally about anything he's seen us doing."

 

 "B-But, he's your father!"

 

 That was _another_ common concern. How could Garon do that? How could Garon be paranoid of his own children? It was usually only the foreign servants who would ask this, though, as Nohrians knew and understood the mindset. Odin, being foreign, would join that concerned crowd. "That's just the way of Nohr. I, personally, don't share the paranoia, but it's quite common to see parents being suspicious of their own children, and with good reason. Families in Nohr are either tight knit because of hardship," fortunately, that was his siblings, "or so wary of each other that they can't even sit down for a meal together."

 

 Garon trusted his children enough with the affairs of his country, though it oftentimes felt more like a business trust, rather than familial. And perhaps, Leo could wonder, that was why he had so many spies everywhere, so quiet and subtle nobody even suspected they were being watched and reported about. Perhaps it was because Leo had crushed a few rebellions before that he was being watched, inspected for any sign of sympathy or compassion for the people he had stomped under his boot.

 

 Before Odin could make a reply to Leo's explanation, he trudged on faster. The subject would be left behind the two men as they kept moving, along with the anxious tingle in Leo's gut that told him just how touchy of a subject his father's sanity was. He didn't want to hear how terrible Garon was getting, he didn't want to live in that present day world. Garon was the man who carried him on his shoulders, the man who made time for him even in a day full of meetings and paperwork. Stress had gotten to him, as was expected, and that was simply that.

 

The dungeons neared now. Niles leaned against the arched, stone doorway, his arms crossed and lips quirked into a pleased smirk. That was enough to tell Leo that the planned had worked, and the guards were snoozing soundly in their chairs near the cells. Leo had made sure that both Odin and Niles knew to not harm anybody, and to leave the guards in positions where it wouldn't be odd to wake up in. Of course, it would be obvious that something had happened, but Leo was prepared to wipe away every trace of him left in his escapade.

 

Niles nodded his head in a greeting, and fell in step behind the prince. The dungeon rooms were kept a little dusty, with a heavy humidity in the air that signified just how deep underground they were. 3 guards were asleep at a table near the fireplace, their cheeks smushed against the playing cards they had dropped. A sword lay on the ground beside one, as if he had gotten up to try and attack Niles, but earned a face full of sleep dust instead.

 

"Are you hurt?" Leo glanced at his retainer for confirmation.

 

 He only smirked more, "Oh no, thank you for asking, my lord, how very s _weet,_ you must love me a lot. No, no, they didn't see my face."

 

"Good," Leo kept walking past the table now, stepping over the sword and going down the dark hallway in front of him, "You're aware you can report to me without implying something, right?"

 

"Oh, I'm aware. I just don't want to."

 

He didn't know why he even bothered in the first place. Yet, it did serve some purpose, as a low chuckle echoed through the hallway. Leo stopped in his tracks, and merely listened.

 

 It seemed to come from the cell on the very far end. The ceiling dripped, and the ground felt slippery under his boots, but Leo trudged onward to approach where the quiet laugh had come from. The echo ended, leaving them in the silence of their footsteps once more, with only the golden light of the torch casting visibility upon the world around them.

 

"Orochi," He called out, trying to sound as steady as possible, "are you there?"

 

A cough, then a chuckle, "You put me in a cell, where else would I be?"

 

In the dim light of the torch, he could finally make the shape of her body out. She was laying on her side, casual as ever, as if this was her home and her bedroom where she was merely receiving a guest. Her hair seemed to fall out of it's updo, now trailing on the ground beside her head in dirty tendrils. Her clothes were teared and spotted with the darkly colored water that seemed to be on every inch of the floor. She looked like a prisoner, but acted as if she owned the place.

 

"Please," she gestured a hand, "Sit anywhere you like."

 

He would not. "No, thank you."

 

Orochi leveled him with a glare, her eyes narrowed in displeasure as she locked them with his. He kept his cool demeanor, but looked away so as to not keep such intense eye contact.

 

She spoke up flatly, "Shoes."

 

Shoes. Of course. Shoes. Sighing, he leaned down to pull of his boots, and glanced at Odin and Niles for them to do the same. The floor felt slippery and squishy under his feet, making him grimace as he looked back at her, "This isn't your house, and this isn't Hoshid-"

 

"This is my cell," she hit her hand on the floor for emphasis, "You gave it to me. It's mine. And we follow my culture's customs here. And in my culture, it's rude to refuse an offer to sit down, too."

 

He had to resist the urge to groan like an annoyed teenager at that. He wasn't exactly dressed for the humid, slippery conditions of the dungeons, but he supposed that neither was she. She was dressed in light silks, expensive fabric that was treasured in Hoshido, and usually only reserved for the upper class only.

 

With that in mind, he sat down.

 

"You're sitting the wrong way."

 

This time, he actually did groan like an irritated teenager. In the torchlight, he swore she was grinning, "How am I supposed to sit?"

 

"Having one knee up isn't appropriate in formal visits, you need to sit cross legged or with your legs folded under you. And I don't see any Nohrian chairs around, so…" she gestured around her, "We're sitting in the Hoshidan way."

 

He was entirely sure she was just doing this to irritate him. Perhaps it was payback for him throwing her into the dungeon, not listening to her prophecies and making her sleep on a dirty piece of cloth. Behind him, he heard Niles and Odin shuffle and mutter to themselves as they changed positions too to appease the woman. Orochi herself was on her side, with one hand cradling her cheek, and the other resting on her waist. Her own leg was bent up, despite her scolding about his leg position.

 

"We've wasted enough time," he tried his hardest to not sound snappy - and failed, "I came to talk about-"

 

"My prophecy, yes?"

 

"… uh, yes."

 

She looked somber now, serious, "What do you want to know?"

 

The air in the room had lost that playful touch, and now just felt heavy and uneasy. He was starkly, all too aware of the wet floor rubbing against his pants, but knew that now was not the time to complain, and to merely focus on the cause of his recent nightmares, and the oddities of it all. "What exactly did you see?"

 

Orochi sighed and sat up, now folding her legs under each other and resting her hands upon her knees, "A tower, a dragon, and you as a monster. There was… a girl… in the tower," she bit her lip, hesitating.

 

A princess with pink hair, she had said. He knew of no such woman. The principalities under Nohr merely had duchesses and dukes, rather than actual royalty. The other kingdom nearby was Hoshido, with it's royal family, but Leo had no idea of what their details were, only that there were 4 of them, and the youngest princess was very rarely seen by other countries. Valla was the last option, and the most plausible, with both of their princesses having disappeared nearly 23 years ago, and were never seen again. In a world of adventure and tales, missing princesses always had a chance of popping up again. He spoke up, "The pink haired princess, not just any girl."

 

 Orochi tapped a finger on her chin, "Yes, I did say that, didn't I?"

 

 "Are you having doubts about your own prophecy?"

 

 "No!" She waved a hand wildly, "No, I'd never! I just… wish I hadn't of said that. She's the reason I came to you in the first place - out of concern for _her._ "

 

  So she wasn't just a prophetess concerned for an enemy Kingdom's prince. He had a feeling there was something underneath it all, some other motive rather than just her telling him of his death from the kindness of her heart. He couldn't help but feel grateful to this mystery princess for spurring Orochi to come to Nohr in the first place. "So who is she?"

 

 She grew quiet, only for a moment, before forcing herself to speak up, "Um… Princess Sakura of Hoshido…?"

 

 The princess of Hoshido.

 

 The princess of Hoshido in a tower.

 

 The princess of Hoshido in a tower, with him turning into a monster somehow relating to her being in a tower.

 

 Nothing made sense, and he was pretty sure there was a spider crawling on his foot. If there was one thing Leo hated more than sitting in a dank, spider-filled dungeon, it was not understanding exactly _why_ he had to be sitting in a dank, spider-filled dungeon in the first place. Not understanding, in general, was a very large, rather ugly pet peeve.

 

  "So you're telling me the princess of an enemy country is locked in a tower, and that somehow relates to my problem?"

 

  "Well," she drummed her fingers on her knee nervously, "yes, but here's the actual problem. Sakura is the one who _caused_ it."

 

   The 'shirk' of a dagger leaving it's holster reached Leo's ears, almost immediately after Orochi had spoken. He glanced at Niles to see the white haired man tensely holding a dagger hidden under his cloak, and an animalistic, eager smirk on his lips, "I'll kill the princess, easy as that."

 

   "Niles, put the dagger away."

 

   "Oh come now, it'll fix all our probl-"

 

   " _Niles._ "

 

    Orochi raised an eyebrow, looking grim and nervous as she eyed the prince's eager, cruel retainer. Her eyes followed the dagger in his hand, "Killing her wouldn't work," once the dagger was safely tucked away, a glare formed morphed itself onto her face, "Don't kill her."

 

   Leo waved a hand dismissively, "He won't. I'm just wondering _how_ she caused it."

 

   Orochi shrugged.

 

    "How do I stop it?"

 

    Orochi shrugged.

 

    "When will it happen?"

 

    Orochi, once again, shrugged. This time, though, she had the decency to look bashful.

 

    Leo, on the other hand, was irritated by now, "Where is her tower?"

 

   "Ah," she held up a finger, "that is one thing I can answer! So, you know where that little pixie restaurant is on the border of Hoshido and Nohr?"

 

   "Uh… No? Pixie restaurant? I didn't know pixies, uh… cooked…"

 

   "They cook human flesh, I don't recommend eating there - their food is a bit bland and unspiced. But anyway, it's about… Oh, a day's journey North of that, then take a left at the witch's bed and breakfast camp, keep going until you reach a talking tree that only speaks in fast, musical rhymes - he calls it 'rap' - and then go right of that, on the road of certain death, all the way until you reach the cave of undead singing skeletons, and about 5 miles East of that is the tower, right past the family of trolls who paint portraits if you give them human pelvises."

 

    "Oh, I've been to them," Odin nodded, "they're pretty good, but the quality of the pelvis bone depends on the quality of the portrait you get."

 

    Leo was bewildered, to say the least, "Could you… possibly mark it on my map for me…?"

 

   "Oh sure! If you break me out of here before tomorrow."

 

   That was a risk. To break anyone out of the layers of Krakenburg safely would take months to plan, if it was even possible. To do so without being seen or realized that it was him would be nearly impossible. Yet, with Orochi's execution scheduled for just the next day, Leo knew that he had to act now. Many had called him ruthless before, and perhaps he was, yet despite that he would not let a woman who merely tried to warn him - be it true or not - die, when she had done nothing to truly threaten his safety. "I… I will."

 

    A look of relief washed over her face. She sat up and brushed her hands through the tangled, oily locks of her hair. The dungeons smelled like mold and stale water. With Krakenburg being built underground, the lowest of layers would be the most unkempt and effected by the elements of the earth. On rare days that rain fell, the walls would leak, and there would be no windows to air out the standing water and let it dry up. Oftentimes, mages would be sent into these rooms with wind tomes to dry it all up and prevent the diseases that lay there from effecting servants, yet it seemed as if nobody had ever done this to the dungeons. And this was where the woman who had warned him enough to save his life was staying - it was disgraceful, it was shameful.

 

   "Odin, go get my horse ready," Leo commanded, "and Niles, find some way to get the guards away from the entrance to Windmire. Aside from that, I'll need a maid's dress, and my armor waiting for me behind the stables."

 

    Leo truly was blessed to have such willing retainers, friends even. Such willing friends who would do so much for him in his escape from his own home. It was a rather large job to take on, but it was in the name of his own life, and the life of others around him. If he truly was to turn into a beast, it would be a danger to anybody who would be near to witness it. If he truly was cursed by something this princess Sakura had done, he'd find her in that tower and fix it.

 

    Odin and Niles both scrambled up to fulfill their duties, while Orochi grinned at him through the other side of the cell bars. He looked back at her, raising an eyebrow as she began to look more and more wry, "You're digging your own grave."

 

     He forced a humorless chuckle, "When my father finds out, yes. But don't worry, I'm sure he'll pick out a nice gravestone for me."

 

     "No," she began to push herself up, "this lying, this deceiving you do, going behind your father's back. While it is for a good cause… It will only speed up the process. Of course, I beg that you don't stop your plan to get me out of here, but I do suggest you stop using magic and tricks to get what you want."

 

     He scowled, "What would you have me do? Leave you here?"

 

     "No," she seemed to panic for a second, eyes going wide as she shook her hands wildly, "I want you to! It's just a warning… be as honest as you can, even a little white lie will speed it up!"

 

      "How would you know?" His tone was flat, suspicious, "It's almost as if you're familiar with this curse."

 

      She faltered, "Prophecies just… tell me extra details sometimes…"

 

      If there was anything Leo had learned from his years of tactical planning, it was that he could never attack all at once. To send in one's soldiers in a rather large wave, just to have them all brushed off as if they were nothing, that would only intimidate his enemy and put them on their guard even more, rather than actually give him the victory. The same would apply with Orochi. To find out her secrets all in one questioning would only put her on the defensive. Rather, he had to slowly pry it out of her, let her admit it without even realizing it. That would be his victory, all it required was some patience and careful planning.

 

      If this counted as dishonest or backhanded, he would have yet another strike with the curse against him. If this curse was even real. His dreams could be simply an odd reaction to hearing the prophetess's words of warning. The only thing dissuading this theory was that Iago knew about him having them in the first place, which would only lead Leo to the conclusion that Orochi and Iago were working together in some well thought out plot to take out two royals at once.

 

     If so, he was walking straight into their trap.

 

     If not, he would die. Simple as that.

 

    His life had come down to two paths he could take. The shrewd one conceals himself, and Leo had always been the shrewdest of them all. Naïve, he was not. Trusting, he was not. Intelligent and careful, he was. Yet, which decision proved to be the correct path was unknown, with no way of telling between them.

 

    Yet, if he went ahead and found the tower, he would at least be able to get himself out of any situation it placed him into. If this was all a trap, Iago would not be a problem for him to handle, neither would Orochi or any assistance they might hire. Brynhildr was more than capable of protecting him.

 

    It took nearly 3 hours to get ready and to help escort the prophetess out of the castle. She was dressed in a maid's outfit, acting as a common servant following her prince around to do his bidding. As Leo led her up the stairs and wooden lifts throughout Krakenburg, he could feel the lingering eyes of every guard upon him.

 

    Fortunately, Garon was asleep at this time of night, and the report would be received to him in the morning after he had woken up and entered into his office. Leo knew it would be detailed, he knew he would be discovered, yet he also knew he'd be out of the city and on the road by the time this happened. Orochi would be on her way to Hoshido, led by a group of Chevois traders who valued their rebellion more than loyalty to Nohr. It would all go according to plan, and  Leo would not return home for years at best.

 

    Rumors would be spread, and stories would be told. False sightings of the prince would arrive, but eventually be outshined by sightings of Xander and tales of his bravery. Leo might become a footnote in history, or merely a paragraph in a book.

 

     Or the worst would happen, and he would become a beast, and that was his immortalization. The beast, once a prince, who stalked the woods of Nohr. Children would have masks of his face for festivals, teenagers would stray into the woods looking for him and some good mischief. He could only wonder if he'd still be Leo, or if he'd be the monster left behind instead.

 

     Nonetheless, he was betraying Krakenburg by leaving, now a fugitive, running away from his own home.

   

     Meanwhile, at the very same time, a princess, too, was leaving. Yet, her escape was much more subdued, much more sentimental, and a lot less dangerous.

 

   It was not a happy night for Sakura, youngest of the Hoshidan royal family. She had spent her evening thinking upon what could've been, and making mental images of all the strengthening things in her life. In her mind's eye, Ryoma would smile at her reassuringly. Hinoka would hug her, hold back tears and tell her to be strong. Takumi would try desperately to hold back his real emotions by covering them up and acting overly uncaring. She could almost see it, but she'd never experience it - she'd never see them again. Her family would come home to an empty castle, with no little sister to greet them.

 

  Sakura hated that she cried so much. She hated that she was sniffling, squeaking, wiping snot from under her nose. She hated that she was emotional, and wished she could say goodbye. She hated that she attacked Iago. Being brave for once had turned around on her, and she was paying for it.

 

   Her pony was white, with a braided mane and long eyelashes - the farthest thing from a war horse. But, she didn't need a war horse, she needed to get away and find a nice cabin in the woods. She'd live there, and she'd not let her curse effect anyone, for there would be nobody around. The youngest princess's future was a lonely one.

 

   "I'm sorry." she whispered to the palace. The inanimate building did not reply. Several windows glowed with golden lights, but none flickered or went off, and none came to life.

 

    Sneaking past Tsubaki and Hana had been the hardest part. She sent Tsubaki out into the market to fetch her some late night sweets, very specific ones from a stall that was already long closed. Knowing him, with his perfectionist streak, he'd be knocking on the doors of the owners and bribing them to make some at this unholy hour. Hana, on the other hand, merely drank some tea without knowing there was a certain herb that would make her drowsy in it. Hana had been asleep in merely an hour, and Sakura made sure she was safely tucked in bed.

 

    It all made her feel slimy. Iago could've been right, she could've been a little monster herself, drugging and lying to her friends and protectors. All her life, she'd tried her hardest to be a good person, yet others had gotten hurt because of her before, or she'd lied out of nervousness and anxiety. Countless times had she found herself avoiding something out of fear, with others ending up hurt because she wasn't there. She brushed her fingers against the festal attached at her hip - it didn't seem as if it belonged.

 

   Her bravery had made things worse. Her bravery would start a war. She couldn't even do that right - how could she be trusted with other's lives?

 

   The thought was too much to handle. The sight of the palace in front of her, casting it's shadow over the world below, stirred fear in her stomach. She turned away from the sight and climbed upon her white pony, pulling her hood up over her head to cover her features.

 

    The walls of the castle were intimidating as Sakura slowly led her pony towards the front gate. Several guards stood in attention, attempting to wake up from a drowsy state. She would not bother them, she would only nod her hooded head and quietly keep going. Nobody would question her - but she knew it would be reported to Mikoto and her siblings once they returned, she knew Hana and Tsubaki would be told of her escape, she knew there would be rumors of her being kidnapped, or running off to be with a lover. Yet, her future would not be so exciting.

 

    A cozy cabin awaited her in the woods. She would hire some villagers to build it, and she would stay there and live off the land for the rest of her days. Her only challenge would be getting out of the city, and far enough away where she would not be recognized or found.

 

    Again, she began to cry silently. She could feel the eyes of the guards upon her back as she made her escape down the rocky mountain road, but she kept going. She would keep traveling until finally, she could have her freedom and safety, and her new life would begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I'm sorry for taking so long to update, I've been really busy lately! 
> 
> \- @ my friends and fellow authors on discord (if you're reading this), I'm sorry for the sudden absence, my phone's been entirely broken for a while and I've just gotten it repaired in the last few days, I don't have it yet but I will soon, so I wasn't ignoring anybody !!! 
> 
> \- I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, it sort of feels like a filler, but it took a while to edit. It underwent many changes, with there being a lot more content in this originally, but I don't really want to give away everything immediately, or have to hold my readers hand as they go through it, so ! yeah, there's a lot of unanswered questions and concerns, but they'll be addressed in later chapters : 3 
> 
> \- I love feedback <3 please don't hesitate to leave a comment, and kudos! I appreciate every comment I get


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